Portulaca plant named ‘SAKPOR003’

ABSTRACT

A  Portulaca  plant particularly distinguished by having pink flowers, a flower blooming period from spring to fall, and a semi-mounding, upright, and vigorous plant growth habit, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Portulaca oleracea.

Variety denomination: ‘SAKPOR003’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of Portulaca plant, botanically known as Portulaca oleracea, and referred to by the variety name ‘SAKPOR003’. ‘SAKPOR003’ originated from a hybridization in Kakegawa, Japan in 2006 between the female Portulaca line ‘Mo04-24B-V2’, an unpatented proprietary Portulaca breeding line having a gold flower color and a bush growth habit, and the male Portulaca line ‘BB03-36A-V4’, an unpatented proprietary Portulaca breeding line with a rose flower color and bushy growth habit.

In August 2006, the female parent line ‘Mo04-24B-V2’ and male parent line ‘BB03-36A-V4’ were crossed and F₁ seeds were obtained. In May 2007, the F₁ seed was sown in the greenhouse, cultivated and plant lines were produced with red, scarlet, pink, and white flowers having a bushy plant habit. The plants were evaluated and plant line ‘K2008-172’ was selected for its pink flower color, flower blooming period from spring to fall, and vigorous plant growth habit.

In May 2008, ‘K2008-172’ was vegetatively propagated, cultivated, and evaluated. In August 2008, ‘K2008-172’ was confirmed to be fixed and stable. In May 2009, May 2010, and May 2011, ‘K2008-172’ was vegetatively propagated to reconfirm its stability. ‘K2008-172’ was subsequently named ‘SAKPOR003’ and its unique characteristics were found to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation via vegetative cuttings.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new variety when grown under normal horticultural practices in Salinas, Calif.

-   -   1. Pink flower color;     -   2. Flower blooming period from spring to fall; and     -   3. A semi-mounding, upright, and vigorous plant growth habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This Portulaca plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which show the plant's overall plant habit including form, foliage, and flowers. The photographs are of a twelve-month-old plant grown in Salinas, Calif. under greenhouse conditions in the fall of 2012. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit of the plant grown in a pot.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the mature inflorescence of the plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘SAKPOR003’. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Salinas, Calif. Data was collected on twelve-month-old plants grown under greenhouse conditions in Salinas, Calif. in the fall of 2012. Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 4^(th) edition (2001).

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Portulacaceae.         -   Botanical.—Portulaca oleracea.         -   Common.—Purslane.         -   Designation.—‘SAKPOR003’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Portulaca line ‘Mo04-24B-V2’             (unpatented).         -   Male parent.—Proprietary Portulaca line ‘BB03-36A-V4’             (unpatented). -   Growth:     -   -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About 2 weeks.         -   Environmental conditions for plant growth.—The terminal 1.0             to 1.5 inches of an actively growing stem was excised. The             vegetative cuttings were propagated in five to six weeks.             The base of the cuttings were dipped for 1 to 2 seconds in a             1:9 solution of Dip 'N Grow (1 solution:9 water) root             inducing solution immediately prior to sticking into the             cell trays. Cuttings were stuck into plastic cell trays             having 98 cells, and containing a moistened peat moss-based             growing medium. The cuttings were misted with water from             overhead for 10 seconds every 30 minutes until sufficient             roots were formed. Rooted cuttings were transplanted and             grown in 20 cm diameter plastic pots in a glass greenhouse             located in Salinas, Calif. Pots contained a peat moss-based             growing medium. Soluble fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen,             10% phosphorus and 20% potassium was applied once a day or             every other day by overhead irrigation. Pots were             top-dressed with a dry, slow release fertilizer containing             20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 18% potassium. The typical             average air temperature was 24° C. -   Plant description:     -   -   Habit and form.—Semi-mounding, vigorous, and upright.         -   Life cycle.—Annual.         -   Height (from soil line to top of foliage).—Approximately 9.0             cm.         -   Spread.—Approximately 45.0 cm.         -   Flowering requirements.—Blooms repeatedly from spring to             fall. -   Stems:     -   -   General description.—Round, slightly rough with lateral             ridges.         -   Stem length.—20.0 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.4 cm.         -   Internode length (average).—1.0 cm.         -   Color.—RHS 182B (Greyed-Red).         -   Pubescence.—Absent.         -   Anthocyanin color.—RHS 182B (Greyed-Red).         -   Branching.—Abundant. -   Leaves:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Shape.—Oblanceolate with cuspidate tip in mature leaves and             acute tips in younger leaves near the apex of the stem.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Rounded.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Surface appearance (both surfaces).—Dull, soft.         -   Surface pubescence (both surfaces).—Absent.         -   Length.—2.0 cm.         -   Width.—0.9 cm.         -   Texture (both surfaces).—Smooth.         -   Thickness.—Less than 0.1 cm.         -   Color.—Upper surface: Mature leaves: Closest to RHS 146C             (Yellow-Green) with RHS 59B (Red-Purple) at edge. Young             leaves: RHS 146C (Yellow-Green). Lower surface: Mature             leaves: Closest to RHS 146C (Yellow-Green) with RHS 59B             (Red-Purple) at edge. Young leaves: RHS 146C (Yellow-Green).         -   Venation.—Absent.         -   Petiole.—Absent.         -   Fragrance.—Absent. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Solitary, sessile.         -   Flowering habit.—Determinate.         -   Time to bloom from propagation.—6 to 8 weeks.         -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—1 day.         -   Fragrance.—Absent. -   Flower bud:     -   -   Surface appearance and texture.—Shiny, pubescent.         -   Length.—0.8 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.4 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Color.—RHS 146C (Yellow-Green) with RHS 59C (Red-Purple). -   Corolla:     -   -   Shape.—Five distinct petals, free with an indent at tip of             petal.         -   Flower diameter.—3.0 cm.         -   Flower depth.—1.0 cm.         -   Petals.—Shape: Heart-shaped with a square base. Apex:             Retuse. Base: Square. Margin: Double lobed, slightly             sinuate. Surface texture (both surfaces): Glabrous. Length:             1.9 cm. Width: 1.0 cm. Color: Upper surface: RHS N66B             (Red-Purple). Lower surface: RHS N66C (Red-Purple). Upper             base: RHS 9A (Yellow). Lower base: RHS 9C (Yellow). -   Calyx:     -   -   Arrangement.—Composed of two sepals, free.         -   Sepals.—Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Cuspidate. Margin: Entire,             slightly sinuate. Color (both surfaces): Closest to RHS 146D             (Yellow-Green). Texture (both surfaces): Smooth. Appearance:             Double lobed, slightly sinuate. Length: 0.8 cm. Diameter:             0.7 cm. -   Reproductive organs: Androecium.     -   -   Stamen number.—Many.         -   Stamen color.—RHS 2A (Yellow).         -   Stamen form.—Free.         -   Stamen length.—0.6 cm.         -   Filament color.—RHS 2A (Yellow).         -   Pollen color.—RHS 17A (Yellow-Orange).         -   Pollen amount.—Abundant.         -   Ovary diameter.—0.3 cm.         -   Ovary color.—RHS 143C (Yellow-Green).         -   Placental arrangement.—Central.         -   Pistil number.—1 (per inflorescence).         -   Pistil length.—0.9 cm.         -   Stigma color.—RHS 2A (Yellow).         -   Stigma length.—0.2 cm.         -   Style length.—0.3 cm.         -   Style color.—RHS 2A (Yellow).         -   Seed production.—Absent. -   Disease and insect resistance: None observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘SAKPOR003’ is a new and unique variety of Portulaca owing to its pink flower color, flower blooming period from spring to fall and semi-mounding, upright, and vigorous plant growth habit. ‘SAKPOR003’ is distinguished from its parents mainly by plant growth habit as shown in Table 1 below:

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Lines Female Parent Male Parent Characteristic ‘SAKPOR003’ ‘Mo04-24B-V2’ ‘BB03-36A-V4’ Flower color Pink Gold Rose Plant growth habit Semi-mounding, Bushy Bushy upright, and vigorous

‘SAKPOR003’ is a new and unique variety of Portulaca owing to its pink flower color, flower blooming period from spring to fall and semi-mounding, upright, and vigorous plant growth habit. ‘SAKPOR003’ is most similar to the commercial Portulaca variety PAZZAZ™ ‘Pink Glow’ (unpatented); however there are differences as described in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety Characteristic ‘SAKPOR003’ PAZZAZ ™ ‘Pink Glow’ Flower petal color, RHS N66B Darker than upper surface (Red-Purple) ‘SAKPOR003’ Plant growth habit Semi-mounding, Semi-trailing, medium upright, and vigorous 

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Portulaca plant as shown and described herein. 